#trending: TikToker complains about bugs found on Ikea S’pore sofa; firm probing second similar case in 2 months

SINGAPORE — A TikTok video showing a number of small bugs on an Ikea sofa has prompted the Singapore office of the global furniture giant to launch an investigation into the matter.

The video, posted on Monday (Feb 6), showed more than a dozen small black insects moving over the wooden leg of the sofa and on its fabric covering. It had received 73,000 views on TikTok as of Thursday evening.

TikTok user "qierrachoo" said that she bought the sofa from Ikea in October last year.

She noticed tiny insects on the floor and then discovered that the wooden underbelly of the sofa was crawling with a number of the black insects when she flipped it over. 

She complained that the insects were spreading to her other wooden furniture. However, she claimed that Ikea was unable to retrieve the furniture until two weeks later.

It is unclear if the presence of the insects is related to the Ikea purchase or from some other source.

Speaking to TODAY, Ikea Singapore said that the firm resolved the matter with the affected customer on Tuesday although the full details of the resolution were not disclosed.

It said that the customer had approached the store over the concern about the bugs in the sofa on Jan 30. This was more than three months after buying the item.

Ikea treats all natural products before packaging and distribution, it said. However, it is difficult to track an insect problem since it might come from any source.

“It can be from supplier’s or manufacturer’s premise, shipping containers, ports, external warehousing or other touch points across the value chain.”

Ikea has launched a deeper internal investigation into the matter, including the packaging of the sofa range.

It said that the company conducts monthly checks, audits and pest control processes to cover all retail floors, store warehouses, restaurants and bistros. 

No other such instance have been reported as of Wednesday.

The furniture company said that any customer who had bought this product and felt uncomfortable about keeping it could return the product for a full refund.

This is the second similar case involving Ikea products here in two months.

In December last year, a Knipsa storage basket made of natural seagrass material was pulled off the chain's shelves after a customer took to TikTok to complain about an insect infestation in the baskets she bought. 

In the video, black insects crawl out after the TikToker gave display baskets in the Ikea showroom a few hard whacks. 

It is unclear if the insects in these two cases are the same species or if the two cases are in any way related, other than the fact that both items were bought from Ikea.